How Long Will U2 Have To Sing "Sunday Bloody Sunday"?

  • U2 will be performing at The Rose Bowl in southern California this weekend and it will be broadcast on youtube. Bono has been been getting some attention lately as many Evangelical youth are looking up to him because of his concern for the poor.

    “Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forrest, Calif., is known for mobilizing evangelical churches in the battle against HIV/AID in Africa, while U2 frontman Bono is one of the world’s leading anti-poverty activists.

    “We are seeing a head-snapping generational change,” contends Gerson, who was a top aide and former speech writer to President George W. Bush. “The model of social engagement of the religious right is increasingly exhausted.”

    At the recent biennial Evangelical Leaders Forum, Gerson offered three reasons for the change: a recovery of scriptural emphasis, a revolt against the tone and style of the Religious Right, and the effects of short-term mission trips on young Christians.

    According to Gerson, young Americans return from short-term mission trips with a changed worldview. Their exposure to poverty, HIV/AIDS, and economic injustice make them concerned about these issues and want to improve the problems.

    But Gerson quickly clarified that the movement to care about a broader set of issues, beyond abortion and family, is not an innovation but an evangelical tradition…”

    I am not going to address the other issues in this article, I simply use the quote to show Bono’s influence among Christians. This brings me to the main point about U2′s song “Sunday Bloody Sunday” which is a great rock and roll song lamenting the existence of war. Having been a Liberal Dead Head I understand the power of music and the influence it can have over people’s thinking.

    Below is a U2 performing “Sunday Bloody Sunday” a central lyric is “How long, how long must we sing this song”? Enjoy the song and think about that question.

    The answer to this question is theological and I think rather simple for the Christian. War has been a part of mankind’s existence since sin entered the world and it will remain a part of our existence until sin is no longer able to influence our actions. This means that until Jesus Christ returns to judge the world, war will exist. So U2 are going to have to sing “Sunday Bloody Sunday” for a very long time.

    Each of us will face judgment when we die, most likely before Jesus returns.

    “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28

    And when Jesus appears the second time, He will do so as our Judge. Those who have repented of their sin will have their names written in the Book of Life.

    “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15

    Forgiveness of sin is only found in Jesus Christ who is the exclusive Savior of mankind.

    “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
    and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15

    “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
    Jesus the Way to the Father
    Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

    Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:1-6

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    October 23rd, 2009 | bluecollartodd | No Comments |

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